Improvement in locks and latches



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BURTON MALLORY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCKS AND LATCHES.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent N0. 35,400, dated May 5, 1863.

To LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BURTON MALLORY, of

the city and county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mortise Locks and Latches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the` accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in Which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lock and latch with my improvement as fitted for a right-hand door. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same with my improvement removed. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the latch-bolt case (my improvement) removed from the main case. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a lock and latch with my improvement reversed from Fig. l for a left-hand door.

Same letters refer to like palts.

Mortise locks and latches are distinguished by the title of right and left,77 according to the swinging of the door to which they are applied. A very great difficulty exists in the sale of such locks and latches from the fact that what is properly called a right-hand7 door is often by the inexperienced termed a left-hand77 door, or vice ver sa, or another dif culty arises when perchance a purchaser orders a quantity of locks and latches without naming either right or left. After stating these two difficulties it will require no further argument'to show what confusion and trouble must necessarily arise not only to the dealers but to the consumers. There have been various devices to overcome these troubles, but Without accomplishing the desired end,

, rather making confusion worse confounded from the fact that in all it has been required to open the case of the latch and change some part of the mechanism, which, unless in the hands of an expert, adds to the difficulty by so far disarranging the parts as to render the lock and latch useless. The existence of these difficulties and the consequent demands for a simple arrangement, which in the hands of an inexperienced person could be readily changed from right to left, or vice versa, without possible danger of injury to any of its parts, has suggested the improvement herein described.

My invention consists in placing the latchbolt and its operative mechanism in a case independent of the case of the lock-bolt and face-plate, and the said lock-bolt case and faceplate constructed so that the said independent latch-bolt case may be inserted therein or attached thereto in either position, right or left, without in any manner opening either case, thus making it impossible to injure the mechanism of either lock or latch in the act of changing.

To enable others skilled to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The general appearance of my improved lock and latch, as shown in Fig. l, is similar to any common mortise lock and latch, the difference being in that part occupied by the latch-bolt.

A is the case, inclosing in its lower part the lock-bolt C; B, the face-plate; D, the latchbolt. The latch-bolt D is with its operative mechanism fitted to and placed in a case, E, independent of the other part of the case, and shown in Fig. 3. I form a recess in the main case, as shown in Fig. 2, into which I place the said latch-bolt case E, if desired for a righthand door. I place the latch-bolt case in the main case with the letter R upward, which denotes that in such position (see Fig. l) it is for a iight-hand door. It' desired for a lefthand door, l reverse the said latch'bolt case and place it in the space of the main case with the other side (marked letter L) outward to denote that in this position as see Fig. 4 it is for a left-hand door.

To insert the latchlbolt case into the space in the main case, place the bolt in the opening Fin the face-plate, press the bolt into its case, and the case will readily slip into the space prepared for it. When in its proper position, as denoted in Figs. l and 4, I confine the case there by means of a screw inserted through the hole a. Other means of holding the case in place may be used. I prefer this from its simplicity. To remove the latch-bolt case from the main case, to reverse, or for other objects, take out the said screw, press in the latch-bolt, and the case may be easily removed. It will thus be seen that when the latch-bolt case is in its place, although independent of is yet practically a part of the main case, as either is imperfect without the other. Also, that the object of my invention is aocolnplished in the production ofzt leek and latch which may be reversed placed in zt ease independent of the loekcase from right to left hand, or left to right hand, and made reversible in the manner substan- Witllout any possibility of injury from skillful tially as herein specified. or unskillful hands.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, BUREON MALLORY what I claim therein als new and useful, and Witnesses: desire to secure by Letters Patent, is RUFUs SANFORD,

A reversible 1ateh-bolt when the seme is JOI-IN E. EARLE. 

